The Things that Bind Us
by Hedwig4eva
Summary: After the fateful events of Halloween 1981, the survivors of the first wizarding war were trying to piece together the remnants of their tattered lives.


Prologue:

How had it gone so wrong so suddenly? Never before in Remus Lupin's life had everything looked so bleak. The rain pummelling down onto his black umbrella mirrored his mood perfectly. As a teardrop fell and rippled his reflection on the puddle at his feet, the minister called the service to an end. The large crowd of people dispersed, some offering comforting words, others giving him a gentle pat on the back, letting him know that they shared his grief.

Yet nobody's grief could equal that of Remus'. He drew a shaky breath as his eyes fell onto the two caskets descending into the cold, wet ground. He heard a loud cry next to him and saw a woman cover her mouth with her hand, dark blonde hair hiding her face as her body shook with tears of despair. He put a comforting arm around her and drew her near to his chest, but she pushed away. Her sapphire eyes glaring at him beneath tired lids, an angry scar that sliced her once beautiful face in two reminding him of his mistake. Remus sighed as he watched her go. Emily Croft; once the love of his life now a constant reminder of his life failures, pushed past her friend, shaking her hood up onto her head to hide her face as she disappeared from sight. Remus looked dejectedly on as he saw her friend still staring at the spot where Emily had previously been.

They had lost everything that night. Once a joyous occasion of sweets and harmless tricks, Halloween was now a cacophony of miserable memories and distant pasts. Remus turned back to the graves and read the headstones.

 _James Potter, born 27 March 1960, died 31 October 1981_

 _Lily Potter, born 30 January 1960, died 31 October 1981_

 _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death_

Remus thought it fitting. They shall forever be alive in spirit, he thought to himself as he wiped the tears from his face. Nevertheless, he could not forget the other funerals he had attended over the past few days.

Once a comrade in arms, Peter Pettigrew was blown to pieces by a man once thought of as his friend. Sirius Black, Godfather to James and Lily's son, now rotting away in a cell in Azkaban destroyed Peter. Remus would never know what compelled Peter to go after Sirius seeking revenge. For Sirius had been the traitor all along. Remus tried to deny it, tried to think of some other plausible explanation in his head. But he could not. It simply fitted. Coming from an ancient pure blood family, they raised Sirius to believe that Muggles and blood traitors were beneath him. He had fooled them for years, and they had paid with their lives.

All they found of Peter was his finger, and that was what they buried. His sobbing mother felt it dignified to honour her son by having a fully sized casket descending into the ground; much like Remus' beloved friends had done not moments before.

At least they found his finger. Taken six months ago, Ariana-Jai West, Godmother to Lily and James' son, has not been seen since. She had been announced dead two months ago. Her body was never found.

Remus thought briefly of their son, for with no legal guardians to look after him Harry had been taken to his only living relatives, Lily's sister. Remus certainly couldn't take care of a child in his condition.

The sound of leaves crunching under feet drew Remus' attention away from the engraved headstone as he turned to look at Emily's friend. Having got to know her lot more during his last year of Hogwarts, Ruby Rowan was never quiet. Having her standing next to him, her black hair limp and lifeless like her once twinkling blue eyes disconcerted him more than anything did.

"I guess it's just us then," she said, giving a slight mirthless laugh.

"But we will do just fine." Remus replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked back down the well-trodden path to the graveyard's gate.

They had to, Remus thought to himself as they turned to look once last time at the graves of their dear friends. For they had to move on. They had to live.


End file.
